The sun had been up for an hour or two but the ice on my tent had not yet melted and the fog had not yet risen above the tree tops. It was the last day of September and I was reluctant to rise knowing that the world outside was cold and wet. The last 2 days had been fishless for me and my confidence was starting to fade. The previous day I had had two strikes but there was just enough doubt to dull any enthusiasm they gave me. I unzipped the tent and poked my head out into the cold. Reluctantly I steped out of the tent and immediatly put on my waders and raincoat.
After a breakfast of oatmeal and tea and an hour later we had camp broken down and the raft loaded. It was my turn on the pontoon and there was a sweet piece of soft water across the river. I pushed the pontoon upriver about 100 yards through some pocket water then rowed to the head of the run on the far side. I started high in the run short, where the heavy current and the soft riffle were seperated by a bar of rocks that forced the main flow across the river. I made my casts straight across just past the outer edge of the seam with a single heavy back mend to slow the fly down. About mid-run there was a definite pluck about mid swing but no hook-up.
Every nerve in my body came to life and I no longer felt the cold. I took 3 steps back up river and cast again. This time I cast with more downstream andle and did not mend. The fly came through the swing faster this time pluck.....pluck......pluck then solid heavy throbing brought my rod to life as the fish came out of the water and agian. After gaining some measure of control I reached down for the whistle around my neck and blew it hard but there was no responce from my friends 200 yards downstream. I blow again, nothing. After a couple minutes of struggeling the fish decides to leave the pool. I followed her at a frantic pace down the steep and cobbeled banks. Finially my friends notice and come running with the camera. The fish is in the main current and comes out of the air twice more well into the backing and doubeling my 13ft Thomas and Thomas the bright steelhead feels unstopable. 200 yards downstream from where I hooked her I get some fly line back on my reel minutes later my hands are gently supporting her pose for the camera. She is a beautiful 16lb Babine Steelhead winded but not tired.
I hold her into the slow current and as I slowly release my hold the swaying of her tail grow stronger and shw slowly swims away.

Consider me entertained! Awesome fish... I could envision the native BC beast trout, the rushing clear glacial waters, the fall foliage along the polished stone shoreline, and the bite of autumn in the valley.

Here is a good compromize Although it cuts out the Dean it should satisfy your craving for BC steelhead and a summer in Alaska.
Go ahead and guide in Alaska for the summer but on your way home in the fall stop and fish the Bulkely and Morice or research another drive to fishing in the Skeena system, that leaves the option of fishing the Thompson on your way home too.
Don't know how helpful this is but it's an idea

Ryan, where is your guiding opportunity? Will this be your first year? I've gone both ways in past summers. Either way you go you'll experience fishing and wildlife that you just don't get around here... like swinging flies over a run full of aggressive fish while knowing you're one step below the top of the food chain...

I am hoping to be guiding at Rainbow King Lodge. Kings, silvers and BIG BIG RAINBOWS &lt;---woohoo!!

An oppurtunity I do not want to pass up. Its a very hard choice to make not just because I will be passing up the Dean but it has hard to be away from the Mariners for more than a couple days let alone a whole summer. AHHHHH!!!

I look at the money though and allthough I do not let money rule my life it sure would be nice to pay off the credit card debt that this young 19 y/o has already managed to get himself into.

And if I do guide up in Alaska, I am seriously thinking of taking the Fall off to fish the Kispiox.

Go to Alaska! I haven't been to Rainbow King, but friends that have been with them have great things to say about it. If you do the Dean you get 8 days. If you go to Rainbow King you'll likely be flying out to many different rivers and get a chance to see and learn a heck of a lot more than you'll get from 8 days floating the Dean. You'll have an amazing time up there (if the work doesn't kill you, or maim you, and it might). Do it now while you can make the time. Later in life it's not so hard to take 2 weeks to do the Dean, but for most people it gets tough to block out a summer to work (and hopefully fish) everyday in one of the last great places on the planet. The Dean is awesome, but you'll definitely have a richer experience being out every day for the 2 or 3 month season at Rainbow King.